The invention relates to a device for the injection of medical preparations, particularly medicines or contrast media, into a patients body during an examination in a computer tomograph, CT, magnetic resonance tomograph, MRT, or with an endoscope. The present invention comprises also the use of the apparatus in a magnetic resonance tomograph.
In the interventional radiology, the physician orients and controls his operative actions using imaging procedures such as the CT and MRT. During such a procedure, the patient generally rests on a stretcher, while the physician in charge supervises the procedure on a screen. With tomographic processes such as the CT- and MRT procedures, two-dimensional section images through the patients body, which are taken at small distances, are combined to provide a three-dimensional image, a so-called tomogram, of the patients body. The tomograms generated in this way show the internal organs, the tissue and the bone structures in detail. Any desirable section images can be generated in this way. In addition, individual section representations can be generated with the CT by tilting of the gantry or, with the MRT by a computer program.
Based on the tomographic data, the physician determines his accessing plan for the organ to be subsequently operated on and determines for an image-supported and manipulator-controlled medication administration the coordinates and dosing rates for the insertion of the injection needle and sends the data to the manipulator.
The publication Medrad Medizinische Systeme GmbH; Das Spectris MR-Injektions System, Brochure 1979 of Medrad Inc., USA discloses such a medication dosing system, wherein Medication or contrasting fluid is injected into a patients body by two 65 ml one-way syringes essentially by way of a hose and an injection needle. As it can be assumed from the technical data given, the one-way syringes are operated probably by an electric motor via linear drives. An obvious use of the medication dosing system in an MRT or CT under tomographic control is not mentioned in this publication although the size appears to be suitable for a use in the channel of a tomograph.
A manipulator-controlled medication dosing system, which is suitable for use in a CT or MRT however is not known.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a device for the injection of medical preparations which device is distinct with respect to the prior art in that it can be inserted into a tomograph as a complete unit and can be utilized therein on an imaging basis.